Pariah
by anyanka730
Summary: One month after the Battle at Hogwarts, Draco is on the run from the Ministry's officials. Over the course of a rough few days, he gets surprise visits in his dreams and in real life as he tries to deal with his problems. Draco/Pansy, eventual Draco/Harry
1. Prologue & Nightmares

**Disclaimer: All of these characters are property of the one true goddess herself, JK Rowling 3**

**Prologue**

It had been one month, two weeks, and four days since the battle at Hogwarts.

Most of the Death Eaters had either been killed in battle, killed out of vengeance by blood-lusting enemies, or been sent to Azkaban to spend the rest of their lives rotting in the much justified penalties which they had been sent there to serve. The Malfoys; however, had gotten off easy.

Lucius's trial had been carried out over the course of a few weeks. His involvement with the Dark Lord had been very well known to the public, and after Voldemort was destroyed, most people in the magic world turned to a bitter vengeance against the Malfoys.

His trial was handled by the reappointed Minister of Magic and an array of Aurors; so naturally, charges began whirling in like owls on a post day. Many witches and wizards were quick to blame Lucius for high crimes, until he delivered a surprisingly strong case as to how distant he truly was from the Dark Lord's master plans.

In the end, after much strong convincing and sorry pleas, Lucius Malfoy was sentenced to five years in Azkaban, yet his wife and son were given much different treatment.

Narcissa Malfoy was found to have played a very small role, if any role at all in Voldemort's plans, and after Harry Potter had exposed her part in deceiving the Dark Lord in the case of Harry's death, she was only given a small fine to repay. Her only heartbreak was to endure see the fate of her family, as they gradually began to be separated from her.

First, her sister's death during battle. Then, her husband's sentencing to Azkaban. But the worst of it was her son was being charged with assisting in the murder of Albus Dumbledore and betraying the side of good to join forces with the Dark Lord during his last two years at Hogwarts. Then withholding information from his professors on the whereabouts of Voldemort and the Death Eaters when the search for them had been so imperative to the school's safety

With those kind of charges against him, Draco was facing between three to five years in Azkaban and the only thing his mother could do was keep her son protected against those who wished to punish him. She believed deep in the pit of her heart that Draco had not meant to do any of the things that he was being charged for. She tried to testify that he was being forced to do everything he had done, and that nobody would understand the pressure put on him by Voldemort and his army. She also tried to explain that in order to keep their family safe, they had to foil Voldemort into believing that the Malfoy's were his faithful servants, even if it meant preforming the acts of cold blooded Death Eaters. But these testimonies only helped her son slightly, because due to a recent swarm of threats towards him after being exposed and being seen changing sides during the battle, Narcissa placed Draco under a very powerful concealment charm.

She was now finding ways to postpone his appearance in court as far as she could until she could change the minds of the furious Aurors and magical lawyers deciding on his case. All the while Draco was tucked away, hiding in the Malfoy's secret cabin in the Helvyllen Mountains, trying to escape the threats of everyone against him, disappearing every so often when he knew his tracks were being followed by magic far stronger than his or his mother's could protect him from.

**CH 1 **_Nightmares_

Heavy drops of rain fell onto the pine roof of the Malfoy's cabin. The wind was howling and whistling through the cracks of lumber which held the structure secure. Draco was lying on his back staring straight up at the ceiling, under damp covers which clung to his restless body. In a twine woven cot next to him was Pansy, sleeping soundly as she had been every night since the battle. Draco; however, had barely slept at all.

This night it had been a particularly eery nightmare which had woken him up. He was walking through the Forbidden Forest without a wand. Darkness surrounded him and he could hardly make out his way between the trees. It was almost silent except for the faint sounds of creatures far off into the woods. As he stepped heavily through the brush and snapping twigs, suddenly Draco stopped. There, before his eyes, were his parents maimed and lifeless bodies strewn across the ground. Their blood painted the ground in a colorfully mocking picture, which Voldemort himself had drawn for him.

As Draco turned the other way to run off in a cowardly gait, a pair of green and yellow snake-like eyes met his glance. Draco was face to face with the Dark Lord again, but this time he had no one to protect him.

"My boy," Voldemort spoke affectionately, his voice cracking in a dry hiss.

He held out a cold, deathly hand to Draco's face and brought it to his cheek, running a jagged fingernail down his face. Draco's could feel his heart thudding alarmingly in his chest, but he soon looked down to see Voldemort's hands around his neck, choking every last breath out of him. And that was when he awoke, in the dark and moldy cabin, questioning how he would ever leave this life of everlasting guilt and fear.

Out of the foggy window next to the bed, Draco could see the rain rushing down from the steep mountain ranges which surrounded him. As he rolled out of the covers, placed his feet on the cold wooden floor, and stepped softly across the room, he worried Pansy would awake from his movement.

His mother had requested that Pansy come along in his flee to keep him company. Draco had wished to come alone, but his mother insisted, and what with his father just recently being sentenced to Azkaban, it was hard to say no to her. Narcissa went on to ask Pansy's appearance with her son in his escape and offered her a reward. She was to be given a part of the Malfoy fortune if she stayed by Draco's side every step of the way, so she vainly agreed and now Draco had been stuck with her hanging off of his arm, drooling over the future gold she would accrue.

Luckily, Pansy's sudden movements in her bed were only those of someone deep in sleep and Draco was safe to promenade around the cabin. He stood in front of the door which lead to the garden out back, and watched silently as the storm began to let up and clouds moved over grey mountain tops in the distance. With his pointer finger flexed straight out, he ran it down the window glass as it gathered condensation from the wetness outdoors. From what it seemed to him, these doors were the only thing keeping him safe from the terror outside. Although Voldemort was gone, and the side of good was back in reign, many people sought to find Draco and wreak punishment upon him. He wasn't sure what it would be, but he hoped that running from the law was better than being tormented in Azkaban.

Turning from the door, Draco shouted in alarm at the sight of Pansy standing directly behind him.

She cocked her head to the side. "Draco, what are you doing up? Was it the storm?" she stepped towards him and extended her hand to his face, but he backed off quickly, lifting his own hand as if to slap hers away.

"Draco..." her brow creased into a concerned frown, "what is the matter?"

He turned his eyes away, not wanting to catch her fixed gaze. "I'm fine. Just taking a walk around." He shuffled off towards the bed and sat down, irritated, leaving her standing by the door. Her hands went to her knees.

"I'm worried about you, Draco. You're mother warned me that you might not be right ever since the battle." She came over and sat beside him.

"And she also told you about the gold, didn't she? I know what she was thinking, sending you here with me. She wants you to keep an eye on me, make sure I don't turn myself in to Potter or the ministry." His voice was reaching an angrily loud tone.

"She only wants you to be safe..." her voice trailed off into a whisper as Draco leaped from the bed and paced to the other side of the room, hand out in front of him to make a pointed gesture.

"You're only here because you want my family's money, you disgusting imposter!"

Pansy hurried over to him carefully and took his wrists in her hands. She was looking up into his angry grey eyes and clenched opened jaw, his breath beating on her forehead. His arms were tight in her grasp.

"Draco, I'm not here to take your money. I'm here for you, to help you."

Gradually, his jaw relaxed and he pursed his lips into a curious thin line, but his sharp eyes stayed fixed on hers.

"I don't believe you," he whispered harshly, barley moving his mouth to speak.

"I can prove it if that's what you want." She stared into his eyes, hearing his heart race from anger.

He took her head violently in his hand and pressed his open mouth onto hers, pushing her body to his with his other hand. Grasping onto the neck of her shirt, Draco lead her backwards to the bed, which they fell back onto, causing a small cry to escape Pansy's lips. Draco held her neck in both hands, angrily kissing her mouth with heated breath. She dragged her hand from his back to his belt buckle and down to the bulge in his pants. He suddenly sprung up from on top of her and stepped backwards. Pansy lifted herself upright with surprise and tried to catch her breath.

Draco stood tensely with balled fists, glaring at Pansy through vexing eyes. He took the sleeve of his shirt and roughly wiped it across his lips. Looking away from Pansy he went towards the cot. With a sharp growl he looked at her and said, "You can have the bed tonight."


	2. The Portkey

**CH 2 **_The Portkey_

When the sun finally rose and light shined between panes of glass on the door, Draco awoke to an empty bed next to him. He turned over beneath his blankets and saw on the floor below him, a body. Shaking with the sudden shock from this sight and just waking up, he leaned over the bedside and with an outstretched hand, rolled the body over to reveal it's identity. It was Harry Potter. His skin was discolored and decaying. The body was obviously dead.

Draco flew back into the middle of the bed and saw, standing above Potter's dead body, Lord Voldemort, his black cape billowing in a deadly surrounding mist.

"Draco, I'm very disappointed in you." Voldemort's sleek whisper echoed through Draco's ears. "Why have you not called upon me lately?" He drew his wand and pointed it at Draco. A silverish green light erupted from the wand and all of a sudden, Draco's left forearm began to surge a deep pain. The Dark Mark writhed and throbbed like a knife being dragged down skin. He squeezed his arm in an attempt to stop the affliction, but Voldemort stood in the middle of the cabin, smiling into Draco's pained eyes, his wand shooting knives into his skin.

Draco woke abruptly, his body drenched in beads of sweat. Pansy shot up from the bed and ran over to his aid.

"Draco, what is it?" She rested her hand on his damp shoulder.

He pushed her hand away and turned his head to face the other direction.

"It's nothing. I'm fine." He stood up and walked hurriedly to the bathroom and slammed the door.

Placing both hands on the lip of the sink, Draco looked at his own reflection. His eyes were wild and his hair a mess. Turing over his left arm so it faced him, he glared at the tattoo which resided there. The snake was no longer moving and although the mark was powerless now, it created a deep pain in Draco's stomach, as if it were a way of keeping Voldemort alive through him.

The sun was high in the sky now and Draco needed to move forward. Life in the cabin alone with Pansy had become seriously redundant and every day he longed for a change. He wished that he could escape the mountains, go back home and live life normally. Yet, he knew he would never be able to lead a normal life, not with the reputation of being one of Voldemort's prized Death Eaters. For now, he would have to settle for escaping to the lavatory, where Pansy would not bother him.

Peeling his shirt from him, Draco threw it onto the floor below the sink. He unbuckled his belt and kicked his pants to the ground. The shower wasn't very wide, barely big enough for him to fit inside it, but Draco was able to turn the knob and stand under a steady stream of water as it washed away the sweat and pain from his body. The water was ice cold at first, only changing to luke-warm after a few minutes, but Draco hardly flinched. The pipes shook and creaked as he turned the valve off and stepped out onto the cool wood planks of the cabin floor.

The water dripped from his body while Draco dried off with a threadbare towel. In this silence, he finally felt comfortable. However, his comfort lasted but a minute because as he had just closed his eyes to inhale a deep breath, there were impatient knocks on the bathroom door.

"Draco? Are you still in there?" Pansy's concerned yet conniving voice startled him from his reverie.

"What do you want, Pansy?" He barked from the other side of the door.

"You forgot your change of clothes."

Draco paused, glaring at the door in front of him. He then wrapped the towel around his waist and cleared his throat.

"Hand them to me then." He said

He heard her shift to the other side of the cabin, then trot back to the bathroom. He opened the door a crack, only wide enough for Pansy to get a good look at his glistening chest and hand him the clothes. Without a glance at her face, Draco shut the bathroom door.

*/*\*

That night, as Draco was gazing out the window, he saw all the stars high above the tall mountain tops. He stood there staring at them, darting his eyes back and forth like a child between each new constellation that appeared through the clouds. Turning his head to the side, he looked at the girl he had been forced to stay with during this wretched hideaway. She was sitting in a red armchair across from the stove, warming her hands and listening to the Minister speak on the radio.

"He hasn't mentioned your name yet." She said quietly.

"Why would they?" He said, annoyed at the exchange of conversation.

"Well, you know, they've been searching for you for weeks."

Draco looked back at the sky, his hand pressed on the paint-chipped window pane, and suddenly, a wave of thought came to him. He sprang forward, walked quickly past Pansy, and reached over to the headboard above his bed.

"What are you doing?" She turned herself to face him directly. He looked back at her and grinned. "No, Draco, wait!" She cried, reaching for him, but in a split second, he was gone, and so was the tiny pewter snake which had been above the bed moments ago.

After seconds of ripping and pulling which seemed as though it would never end, Draco landed between two stone arches in a dark hallway. Leaning one arm on the stone wall, he bent over and vomited, quivering from the shock of not having used a portkey in quite some time.

He caught his breath and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. Adjusting himself so he was firm on his feet, Draco slid his body flat onto the wall and started inching his way through the hallway. Suddenly, he saw a door open and a ray of light flash on him. He held his breath and pressed himself onto the wall as straight as he could.

The clicking of shoes was approaching him fast and as the figure came closer, Draco flew out from his hiding space with a roar and clenched his arm around the person's neck. To his pleasant surprise, however; it was his mother. He let her go immediately and backed a few inches away. She drew her slender hand to her mouth and gasped.

"Darling, you've come home." She embraced him warmly and he returned the gesture.

When they separated, Narcissa's face changed to a solemn grimace.

"Why have you left the cabin?" She put her hand behind his elbow and they proceeded into the lounge. "Is everything alright? Where's Pansy?"

"Mum, everything is alright, Pansy is um...fine. I just needed to spend some time away from the cabin a bit."

"But dear, you understand how dangerous that is for you. You're lucky the Aurors aren't here today. They have been stopping in once a week looking for you." She turned her head down shamefully.

"And what have you told them?"

"The same thing as always. That I haven't seen you at all."

Draco sat into a black chair at the fireplace and held his head in his hands.

"Darling can I bring you anything?" Narcissa cooed. "How about some tea and biscuits?"

"Yes, thank you."

She left the lounge, her heels clicking onto the stone marble floor like a ticking clock. Draco stood up and looked around. The silver curtains were hanging uniformly around a giant gable window and the walls were covered in polished bookshelves. Sauntering to the nearest shelf, Draco pulled out a grey bound book and opened it to a random page. It was written in Latin and although he had spent years as a child being forced to study the language, he could only make out the words, "tree, dark, and dead." He pulled out a smaller book from the shelf next, this one plated with a golden sparrow on the cover. On the inside was written, _L. Malfoy_.

The first page was a diary entry dating back to 1992, Draco's second year at Hogwarts. It spoke of Lucius' everlasting battle with Cornelius Fudge to remove Dumbledore from the seat of headmaster. Skimming a few more pages, Draco found an entry about Tom Riddle's diary and the Chamber of Secrets. The tone had changed from the previous entry. This time Lucius sounded concerned and uneasy. As Draco was preparing to lift the next page, his mother entered the room with a silver tray of food.

"Here you are dear, and I even brought you some of your favorite pie: almond butter." She set the tray down on an end table and smiled at her son.

"Pie?" Draco asked astonished as he grabbed the plate of fresh dessert. He began lifting forkfuls of pie into his mouth. Narcissa stood next to him and watched her son intently. "This is delicious." He said, raising the ends of his mouth into a small smile after swallowing a bite of almond.

"I'm glad you like it dear." Narcissa said. She walked around to the chair by the fire and sat down. "It's wonderful to see you. I've been worried."

Draco looked into her nurturing eyes and nodded. "Everything is going fine, I just...I just needed to come home for a bit."

"But darling, you know how dangerous it is." Narcissa's expression turned into a frown. "I have used the most advanced magic that I could get my hands on to shield you from the eyes of others"

"I know, I know." His voice trailed off shamefully.

"Is everything going well with..."

Suddenly her words were cut short as the windows behind them burst into a million tiny pieces. Draco dropped his plate onto the floor and staggered backwards into a corner of the room. Narcissa screamed and ran over to shield her son as a swarm of Ministry workers apparated into the room.

Draco reached his hands hurriedly into the pockets of his trousers, fumbling for the snake ornament. A cold sweat ran down his brow and neck as well as tears down his cheek. Split seconds passed by and immediately before he felt his finger brush the smooth metal surface of the portkey, he sawKingsley Shacklebolt draw his wand and a beam of orange light emerge towards his mother. Yet after the tugging of his organs and flesh through the teleportation and landing uneasily back at the cabin, the image of Malfoy Manor disappeared.


	3. Unexpected Visitors

**CH 3 **_Unexpected Visitors_

This time, the portkey transport had created less of a shock to his body, but what he had awaiting for him at the cabin made up for the lack of a nauseating trip. Moments after his arrival, Draco was angrily shoved from behind. Turning around defensively and with his brow pinched into a sharp frown, he then received a swift slap on the left cheek, still wet from tears.

"Draco Malfoy!" Pansy cried in the highest and meanest tone she had ever used.

Draco stood stone-like, his cheek still turned to the side from the slap. His hands clenched into compact fists as he slowly turned back to peer into Pansy's wild eyes.

"Why the bloody hell did you leave me like that?" She screamed, raising a hand to swipe Draco's cheek again, but he was quicker this time and caught her wrist in his grasp, squeezing it tightly before letting it fall back to Pansy's side. She coddled it close to her chest, rubbing it with her other hand.

"Draco, please, tell me what's going on." Her voice was low and soft this time.

Lunging forward, causing the backs of Pansy's knees to run into the edge of the cot, Draco spoke very pointedly, "I'll tell you what's going on." His eyebrows shifted sarcastically. "What's going on is that the Ministry knows I was at the manor. They have my mum and...I have no idea what they're going to do to her."

He backed away, becoming more at ease, staring blankly at the cracked and weathered floorboards beneath him. "They could hurt her."

His voice trailed off into a choked back swallowing of the lump in his throat. He raised his arm to his eyes to ward off the tears which seemed to be on a constant flow. To avoid as much contact as he could, Draco walked to the bed and placed the pewter snake on the headboard, marched to the bathroom and slammed the door behind him. He held his back against the door, leaning with his feet stretched out in front of him, however; that didn't stop the impatient raps which pummeled the other side of the bathroom door.

"Draco! What are you thinking? How dare you try to walk away from me, not after what I've put up with these past few weeks." Every slam she made onto the cherry wood vibrated onto Draco's back, jutting him forward violently.

"Then why don't you just bloody leave?" He piped through rough knocks.

Suddenly, the knocking ceased and Draco lifted himself gingerly forward from the door. He turned himself slowly as if to face Pansy through the barrier between them. Everything was silent for a moment or two. He hesitated to turned the door knob, but his hand eventually twisted it and pulled the door out. Pansy stood in awe, her mouth loosely opened and her eyes fixed in a partial squint. Tears were welling up in her eyes. Draco stared at her uncertainly, leaning to one side in case he had to bolt away at any given moment if she were to attack. His eyes shifted from her to various objects around the cabin in an attempt to avoid eye contact. However, seeming like it had come out of nowhere, Pansy thrust herself into Draco, placing both of her hands behind his head, entwining her fingers into his hair. She smashed their mouths together, violently pushing her tongue against his. Draco's muscles suddenly became limp as he faltered his hands to her waist, pressing her hips to his.

Pansy's fingers began to weave their way down Draco's neck, shooting a tingling feeling through his body. They made their way to the buttons on his shirt. She started to unbutton them carefully, but Draco pushed her hands away and pulled both sides of the button-down apart, ripping the shirt and throwing it to the ground without pulling his mouth away from Pansy's. She ran the tips of her fingers down his chest, feeling every uneven inhale and exhale and the racing of his heart. His hands found her breasts and he cupped them tightly causing a small whine to escape her lips. Rushing his hands down to the outside of her thighs, Draco hoisted her up, her legs spread around his pelvis, arms around his neck.

Carrying her against his body, he took her to the bed and pushed her from him onto the mattress. She fell roughly and leaned forward on her elbows, face distraught.

"Ow! Draco, be careful!"

Grinning madly, Draco pulled her skirt down her legs and threw it onto the floor where it landed next to his shirt.

"Shut up, Pansy." He barked softly, sliding his hands up the edges of her shirt, lifting it above her head and throwing it off.

She was holding onto his sides, bracing his body a few inches above hers while he undid the clasp to his pants, shimmying them down his legs and pushing them to the foot of the bed with his feet. Draco pushed himself against her teal underwear, watching her eyes close slowly and her mouth quiver. Pansy reached down and gripped the straps on her hips, turning her body to the side beneath Draco's, so she could remove her panties and kick them off. He pressed his forehead against her hair, his eyes deeply fixed on hers which were fluttering to stay open. His teeth were clenched and he was breathing hot air from his nostrils onto Pansy's face. Arching his back and reaching his hand down to his erection to pull it through the flap in his boxers, he began to ease it into her. All of a sudden, however; she flinched and her body froze.

She grabbed Draco's hand which was leading his cockinto her and held it tightly. Draco's eyes widened and he held his breath. She formed her mouth into a smirk.

"I want to be on top." She chuckled, letting go of him as he loosened his grip on himself and her.

Draco sat up on his knees, hands at his sides as Pansy rolled over, letting him lay on his back, hands remaining stiffly at his sides. She mounted him, tightening her legs around his upper thighs and hips. Then, it happened quicker than he had pictured it, she lowered herself and he was in her. His hands raced to her back, pressing her closer to him as she rocked back and fourth, her long black hair tossing with the rhythm of their movements. She was breathing heavily. Every thirty seconds she would let out a yell, opposite to Draco's soft grunts. He closed his eyes and bit his lip, the feeling was spreading all throughout his body. He had never imagined it feeling so amazing.

As he opened his eyes, suddenly it wasn't Pansy on top of him. The black hair had become much shorter and instead of breasts brushing his chest, it was now another man's chest. When the man picked up his head and looked into his eyes, Draco's face contorted in terror and confusion as he realized that it was none other than Harry Potter on top of him.

Draco let out an angry roar as he thrust the body off, pushing it hard so it buckled over the bed posts and hit the floor with a thud. Quickly jumping off of the bed, Draco ran over to see exactly what kind of spell was being put on him or if he had been imagining everything. But to his surprise and partially his relief, Pansy lay shaking on the floor.

Her upper arms were discoloring into a light red tint from where he had pushed her off the bed. Shocked, Draco shuffled over to her and bent down to help her up. She shot him a dark look and slapped his hand away from her as he held it out.

"Pansy, I don't know what came over me." His voice quivered with fear and weariness.

She bent into a sitting position and then pushed herself up to stand, teetering off-balance. Draco backed up to give her space and picked up her clothes from the floor, holding them out to her. She snatched them and continued to glare at him. He turned around while she put them on, his body in the most strange place. He was severely on edge and tense, yet careful and shy at the same time.

"What on Earth were you thinking Draco Malfoy?" She hissed at Draco's turned back as he tried to see if she was finished changing.

"I...uh, it was...I'm not really sure." His tone raised like a child trying to guess the correct answer of a question asked by a stern teacher.

"Well I know one thing," she said, "I'm getting the bloody hell out of here."

She rushed past him to the bed as he tried to stop her.

"Pansy, it's not safe there!" He called to her, reaching his arm to grab her shoulder, but she shrugged it off and grabbed the portkey and in an instant, she was gone.

Draco stared aghast at the place which Pansy was standing only moments ago.His heart was racing madly and he could hardly feel his limbs as they were becoming numb with fear. He was alone. He had no idea what had happened to his mother at the manor, but whatever it was, now Pansy was going to face the exact same thing.

His body was shaking anxiously as he sat back onto the bed, his legs dangling off the edge lifelessly. His eyes were fixed in a permanently widened state and he had a painful knot in his stomach. _I need to find mother. They knew I was there, they're going to hurt her. _Thoughts were racing through his head and he could barely stay calm. In one night he had teleported back home and put his mother in danger, not to mention he'd been spotted by the ministry. He had sex for the first time with a girl he hated and then harmed her in a way he had never meant for. However the root of everything lead back to one person: Harry Potter.

Gripping the bedspread beneath him, he began to boil with anger. Something was causing Potter to appear in his dreams and in his thoughts, but he couldn't figure out why. If it hadn't been for him, Draco would have never needed to stick around Hogwarts for the battle. Yet, Potter had stolen his wand, and that meant he needed it back.

That still didn't explain the atrocity which had occurred only minutes ago when Potter had appeared to him. Draco leaned forward, his hands grasping his knees. The wrenching feeling squeezing his insides out caused him to fall onto the floor. It was becoming harder and harder to breathe and his hands were trembling as he lifted them to his mouth. Draco leaned over abruptly and vomited. Pulling his head up and wiping the tears from his chin, he stood up weakly, wavering his body side to side. Glancing briefly over at the cloak on the cot next to the bed, Draco snatched it up and tossed it onto the floor. It didn't seem like Pansy would be needing it back anytime soon.

Sinking back onto bed, and curling into a ball, Draco wrapped his arms around his legs. Burying his face into the sheets, and rocking back and fourth, tears welled up in his eyes, stinging as they rolled down onto the pillow. Closing his eyes, he tried to rock himself to sleep and erase the frightening thoughts from his mind.

*/*\*

Draco awoke to the sun shining in his eyes the next morning. Rubbing them half asleep, he slowly lifted his body up, and looking around, took in the fact that he was alone for the first morning in over a month. He turned over to get out of bed and stood up, staggering to stay on his feet. At once he lifted a hand to his head, attempting to control his sudden loss of balance as dizziness washed over him. There were too many things rushing through his mind, and even though he had just woken up from a deep sleep, it seemed as though he hadn't slept at all. Everything was so sharp to him. The memory of seeing his mother at the hands of the Ministry before teleporting stung like venom, but he had to figure out a way to get her back, even if it meant turning himself in.

Without a wand this task seemed pointless and impossible, but Draco knew that if he could get a hold of Potter, he would have a chance at getting it back. What was he thinking? Of course he wasn't going to get a hold of Potter, that was the last thing he wanted to do. It would be dangerous and stupid to try and recover the wand with there being so much protection around Potter and such a lack of it around him.

Sitting back on the bed, Draco put his head in his hands and tried to think as hard as he could. Looking down at his bare arm, he clenched his fist, exposing the tattoo which was once a gateway to the most dangerous wizard of all time. He looked into the skull's eyes as they peered blankly into his, causing him to wonder if it could still work the way it had before Voldemort was destroyed. Tears began to well up into his eyes again, but he quickly wiped them away.

Looking through the window next to the bed, he lifted his hand to the glass and held it there. His reflection was looking back at him, his hair a mess, eyes red and swollen from countless tears, his bare chest rising and falling weakly. Suddenly, a loud cracking sound appeared behind him and Draco spun around nervously, only to see his mother standing before him.

"Draco." She gasped.

"Mum."

Rushing to the bed, Narcissa wrapped her arms around her son and held him as he sobbed into her shoulder. She rocked him back and fourth like a child, smoothing the hair on the back of his head as he let out uncontrollable, choking tears. As his body shook with whimpering sobs and heavy exhales, Narcissa whispered into his ear.

"There, there darling. There, there."


	4. Confessions

**CH 4 **_Confessions_

For the next half hour or so, Narcissa informed her son of the recent events circulating around the magic world. After Draco had used the portkey back at the manor, Narcissa was taken hostage by the Ministry where she had been questioned and prodded for information, but kept the secret of her son's whereabouts hidden.

"They didn't hurt you did they, mum?" Draco said, looking her in the eyes.

"No. They didn't." She spoke hesitantly, dropping her head down, "They're not like...the Dark Lord."

Draco looked away from her, a weight pressing on his chest.

"But they must have known I was there. The Auror saw me leave, didn't he?" He raised his eyebrows.

"They saw...someone leave. They don't know it was you." She lifted her hand to Draco's chin and gently turned his face to look at at hers. "I will _never_ let them take you."

He sighed and a small hint of a smile curved his lips. "What did you tell them?"

"I lied. Told them it was Travers trying to convince me to join him in a rebuild of the Death Eaters. I knew they hadn't found him yet, so it was a trade. He had said some cruel words about your father after the battle and let it slip to me where he was to be hiding."

"So they're not on your case anymore?" Draco shifted excitingly.

"Not as bad as they were." She smoothed her skirt with both hands, avoiding her son's eyes. "They are still looking for you, though."

He pressed his lips together and sat silently, not looking at his mother. Cocking her head to the side, Narcissa's voice changed to a sudden confused and slightly alarmed tone.

"Draco," she said, "where is Pansy?"

Suddenly, the weight on his chest became much heavier and a sharp pain in his stomach arose. All this time that his mother had been here, he had completely forgotten about Pansy.

"She never showed up at the manor?" Draco inquired softly, goosebumps running down his arms.

"No? Why would she be at the manor?" Narcissa said, standing up from the bed nervously.

Draco swallowed heavily, his eyes darting past every angle of the room.

"Draco what happened to her?" She shouted, causing him to flinch.

"She, well, she took the portkey and left." He blurted out.

"The portkey?" Narcissa's hands went into the air in protest. "Why did she take the portkey?"

Draco's face quivered with a mix between guilt and fear as tears welled up in his eyes. "We got into a fight, a little misunderstanding really, and she left..." His heart rate accelerated. He had never been so afraid of his mother before, since it had always been his father with whom he never felt safe telling things to. But this time it was different, because it had been his mother who ordered Pansy to stay with him.

Narcissa turned around so she was looking away. "What was this fight about?" Her voice became suddenly slow and deathly, similar to Professor Snape's.

"Nothing really, just a few disagreements, that's all." He spoke quickly.

She exhaled angrily through her nose and rotated around, folding her hands at her chest and glaring at her son.

"She...she left last night, through the portkey and hasn't been back."

"Well I only just left the Ministry before I came here, I wasn't at the manor last night." She said sharply. "Now for all we know, she could have been captured."

Draco wrung his hands anxiously, trying to think of something to say that would please his mother. "But, she's not wanted for anything though, right?" His voice quivered.

"No. But the Ministry is wise. They have people working with them who know of our relationship with the Parkinsons, and they could catch on fast." Narcissa shook her head in disappointment.

She sat down at Draco's side and put her hand on his shoulder, looking him in the eyes again, shifting back to a more calm state of being. "Everything will be fine. Pansy has no reason to expose your whereabouts."

Fear shot through his body as he swallowed nervously again, holding his breath and avoiding his mother's eyes. Her face hardened and her eyes narrowed. She shot up from the bed.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy." She hissed, about to apparate from the cabin. "I don't know what happened between you two, but if there is a chance of you getting exposed, I need to find a way to stop it."

Tears escaped Draco's eyes and he leaned forward, clutching his stomach. "Please," he whimpered, "please don't leave."

Narcissa leaned down and kissed him on the forehead, a single tear running down her face. "I have to keep you safe." She assured him. Stepping back from the bed, she closed her eyes and in a second, she was gone.

*/*\*

That afternoon, Draco took turns between pacing throughout the cabin and staring out the windows. His mind was filled with chaos, but nothing would put him at ease. At least four hours had passed since he had seen his mother, and Draco finally decided to lay down. His heart was in pain and tear tracks stained his cheeks, but fear had drained him of any energy left in him.

The inside of the cabin was beginning to cool off and Draco feared another storm was on its way. He wasn't necessarily afraid of storms, but the pandemonium of the weather put him more on edge.

Layingin bed, Draco pulled the blanket to his neck and rolled on his side, pressing his cheek into the pillow beneath his head. He closed his eyes, and within minutes, the thoughts in his mind became less hectic and gradually diminished into sleep.

He was walking outside, the stench of death was in the air and Draco could hear the faint sounds of war surrounding him. Looking around, he realized he was on the Hogwarts grounds. The place where he was was a less popular part of the school, partially because it was on a huge jagged cliff, with at least a two-hundred foot drop to the lake below. Looking up at the castle behind him, Draco began to ease his way carefully around the cliff's edge. Pressing his body against the marble wall at his back, he inched himself along the boundary. His heart was racing madly, skipping beats as chunks of stone dislodged from the cliff and fell below.

To his left was a wider space away from the cliff, a place where he could safely run back inside the school. Sliding gradually to his goal, Draco suddenly felt a cold grasp around his neck. Shifting his eyes to his right, he shuddered at the sight of Lord Voldemort. He didn't dare try to run away or put up a struggle, as any sudden movement could plummet him off the edge and to his death. Instead, Draco's hands began to shake and fear washed over him completely. Voldemort's hand wrapped itself tighter around his neck, his sharp fingernails penetrating his skin and causing beads of blood to slide down to Draco's collarbone. Voldemort began to lift his victim off the ground, causing Draco to gasp for a breath and writhe powerlessly in the air. A smile crossed the Dark Lord's expression as he slowly turned to face outwards, holding Draco above the long drop from the cliff. Draco's face contorted with terror as he tried to pull his eyes from the sight below him.

"I believe this is the end, my dear boy." Voldemort cooed.

A squeal escaped Draco's lips as he fought for a breath, but before the Dark Lord could let go and drop him to his death, a sudden red burst of light shot through the air. To Draco's sudden dismay, he felt himself fall onto the sharp, marble edge. The Dark Lord had disappeared, but now Draco was clinging to the stones beneath his arms to hold him up. His legs dangled below him, feeling the slashes of rock cutting through his pants and into his skin. He tried to pull himself onto the surface, but his panicked state would not allow him to use his full strength and with each movement of his arms, he shifted lower down the cliff's edge. Hot tears flooded his eyes and ran down his cheeks as he realized that this truly was the end. Yet to his surprise and relief, someone grasped onto his forearms and began to pull him up. That someone was Harry Potter, and although not exactly the person he wished to see or have save him, Draco was extremely thankful.

"Grab on to my arms!" Harry shouted, kneeling onto the ground and slowly pulling him up.

He obeyed and gripped Harry's arms as he hoisted him onto the surface and pushed him away from the cliff. After a brief moment to overcome the shock, Draco lay silent, his chest heaving up and down, arms limp at his sides and legs bent outwards. He closed his eyes and when he opened them back up, Potter was kneeling above him, staring straight into his eyes.

Draco awoke suddenly, shooting himself upright in bed. He looked around nervously, but the cabin was empty and silent, only the sound of the storm outside could be heard.

As he tried to catch his breath, Draco wiped the tears from his face with the sheets in his hand. Why was Potter coming up in his thoughts so much these past few days? Draco thought that maybe they were somehow linked with Potter using his wand. He had never heard of anything like it, but nothing else could explain the strange dreams and images he had been having.

The day was still young, but the storm outside shook the cabin and turned the sky into a night-like grey. Draco fell back softly onto his pillow and tried to clear his thoughts. He no longer wanted to be thinking of the Dark Lord, or Harry Potter for that matter.

He lifted his hands to his eyes and breathed in deeply, then let them fall to the blanket covering his torso. As he searched for a happy, normal thought to cross his mind, Draco remembered the other night, before all hell broke loose and he was having sex for the first time in his life. Although he wished it had been with someone other than Pansy, the sensation he felt was like none other he had ever had.

A shock of energy surged through his body and Draco suddenly felt the way he had that night. Breathing in through his nose, he straightened his legs out in front of him and leaned his shoulders up on the pillow. Closing his eyes tightly, Draco lead his hand down beneath the sheets. His muscles tightened and his breath staggered with every movement. The images of Pansy were no longer lingering in his thoughts as he stopped paying attention to what was going on in his head and everything else around him.

After a minute or so, Draco's lower lip began to tremble and he could no longer feel his legs or arms. The only thing he could focus on was the repetitive motions below his waist. Letting them become faster and more concentrated, Draco suddenly held his breath and felt his body tense with pleasure. Opening his eyes and bringing himself back to reality, he wiped his hand on the back of the comforter.

Draco lifted himself up from the bed, the blissful feeling still sending shock-waves throughout his body. He dragged himself to the bathroom sink where he let the cool water wash his hands and face. Lightening was crashing in the mountains outside and Draco gazed out the window, wishing he could be out there and away from this cabin.

Every chilled breath he took sent thoughts racing through his head. Why couldn't he leave the cabin? Why was it so dangerous out there for him? Draco pondered these thoughts, pacing across the hardwood floor. The storm was raging and rain was beating against the windows, but all of that chaos was much better than sitting around inside this damp old cabin.

Pulling a black button-down shirt from the dresser beside the bed, Draco tugged it on and quickly fumbled to clasp the buttons. Taking one last look around the inside of his prison, Draco grasped the door knob and swung it open, embracing the ice cold piercing wind as it stung his face and drenched his clothing. He slammed the door behind him and was suddenly overcome with a feeling of freedom and rebellion. Opening his arms out to the side, Draco extended his fingers and closed his eyes. As much as the rain and wind was stinging his skin, it felt revitalizing. His lips began to curl. The subtle grin soon became a full blown smile, and Draco laughed softly to himself.

Thunder rolled in the distance and lightening struck close to the cabin, sending a streak of bright light through the hills. Suddenly Draco opened his eyes to see Kingsley Shaklebolt and another auror whom he did not recognize link onto his arms and shove him against the cabin door. Pushing them off defensively, Draco ducked and turned the door knob quickly to escape inside the cabin. However, just as he was almost in the doorway, he heard a quick, "Stupify!" from behind, and everything quickly turned to black.

*/*\*

Draco flicked his eyes open. Adjusting to his surroundings and his dizziness, he rubbed his eyes. He was sitting slumped over in a straight backed chair, alone in a dimly lit room. It was strangely silent and the room was quite plain, but Draco knew exactly where he was. He was at the Ministry. Strangely however, he was not tied up, or shackled, like he would have expected. In fact, there was a fresh cup of tea steeping on an end table next to his chair waiting for him.

Standing up from the chair, Draco looked around the room. It was small, there were no windows and the walls were pasted in brown striped wallpaper. It was only big enough for a chair, a table, and a floor lamp with an amber light which caused shadows to bounce off each corner.

Reaching out to the door knob, Draco was suddenly pushed back when it opened and a tall, dark haired wizard stood in front of him.

"Mr. Malfoy," the man said, slightly surprised to see Draco standing directly in front of him in the doorway, "You need to come with me." He gestured for Draco to follow him down the black tiled hallway.

Draco peered at him suspiciously, stepping back. "Where are we going?" he asked curiously.

"I need to take you to your interrogation."

"My...my interrogation?" Draco pinched his eyebrows together in confusion.

"Well sir, you know you have been wanted by the ministry for over a month"

Draco sighed, eyes falling to the floor shamefully.

The wizard looked back at him, "You coming?" He chuckled.

Raising his eyebrows, Draco took a deep breath, imagining what could happen to his mother and father if he didn't come forth and confess. "Yeah," he poised himself and stood determined, "I'm ready."

Draco followed the wizard, his footsteps echoing down the dark hall and ending at a brightly lit doorway. The man stepped back, holding his hand out in front of him, gesturing Draco to enter. "Go on." He insisted.

Draco stepped in wearily, and suddenly the doorway behind him closed and became a slab of cement. He swung around, frightened, realizing he had been locked into the Questioning Room. Before him sat a small witch, her robes silver and her expression sallow and stone cold.

"Sit down." She said sharply.

Draco hesitated, glancing down at the chair next to him. The witch lifted her wand impatiently and zapped a thin white beam onto Draco, who was then flown roughly into his seat. He swallowed fearfully, feeling the confidence which he had felt moments ago slip out of him.

His idle hands were suddenly frozen in place on the arm rests and his feet were stuck to the floor. The witch leaned in close, peering into Draco's tear-filled eyes, and folding her hands in her lap.

A quill and sheet of parchment appeared at her right and began to write.

"Mr. Draco Lucius Malfoy, age 18 years old, status human," she paused, flicking her wand again at the quivering boy across from her, lifting the sleeve above his left arm to expose the Dark Mark, "Death Eater." She spat.

"No, listen!" He cried, but was only pushed back into his chair to experience the wind being knocked out of him by another spell.

"You will hold your tongue in here boy, unless you are being questioned."

He glared, his grey eyes gleaming with rage and fear.

"Now, roughly one month ago, you participated in the battle at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, did you not?"

Draco's lips quivered before he answered, "Yes."

"And we have a countless number of witnesses saying that they saw you apparate onto the grounds with Death Eaters." The quill scratched the parchment rapidly. "We also have witnesses who saw you openly join the Dark Lord in the Hogwarts quad when Harry Potter was assumed to be dead."

Draco winced at Harry Potter's name.

"I assume you know that we have been searching for you since directly after the battle."

Draco nodded slowly.

"And do I dare even mention that you took part in the murder of Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard who ever lived?" Her voice rose in anger.

"You don't understand." Draco whispered, feeling the sting of tears well up in his eyes.

"Apart from these predisposed charges against you, you have also been hiding yourself and lying to the ministry about your whereabouts and involvement for a very long time. If it hadn't been for Ms. Parkinson, we wouldn't have been able to locate you."

Draco's teeth clenched and he struggled to move in his seat but it was as if he was shackled down.

"Oh yes. Just yesterday, she was found in your home and said you had taken her captive in the Helvyllen Mountains where she was tortured and abused. It was her who gave us your direct location, you see, and now she is free to go."

He couldn't help but let salty tears stream down his cheeks and cling to his trembling upper lip.

"Right now you are facing at least three years in Azkaban, but tomorrow we will be brining in witnesses for your trial and if you confess now you could save yourself from five years." The quill dotted the parchment pointedly. "So what do you say, Mr. Malfoy, are you guilty of these crimes?" She leaned in, glaring into his distraught and confused face.

His heart was beating out of his chest. Nothing seemed real. He wished to gods that he could take everything back and start over. _Why did no one understand that these acts had not been performed willingly?_ Looking into his interrogator's hollow eyes, Draco spoke softly.

"Yes. I'm guilty."


	5. The Trial

**CH 5** _The Trial_

It was morning again and Draco had spent the night in one of the Magical Law Enforcement's holding cells, barely catching any sleep. His trial was today and he knew that he would be sentenced to Azkaban no matter what.

As he walked down the black tiled hallway escorted by two large guards, the doorway at the end of the hall became the entrance to the trial room. Once there, Draco was forced to sit in front of a crowd of Ministry officials and be physically strapped to the chair. His body was tense and shivering, and his breathing was erratic, but he had to remain calm if he was going to make the best of this trial.

The first ten minutes were a blur in Draco's mind as he had been concentrating on steadying his breathing. After the minister rose from his podium and introduced the case, listing off Draco's charges, he called in the first witness.

"Mr. Longbottom, you say you have known Mr. Malfoy since you were young wizards?"

"Uhm, yes." Neville cleared his throat. "We were in the same year at school."

"And was it during the battle that you realized that Draco Malfoy was a Death Eater?" The minister questioned dryly.

"Well, we all saw him join them, at the end, but I mean, everyone already knew." His voice trailed off quietly.

"Ah, and how did you know?"

"Well, we just knew...and after Dumbledore's death, Harry told us about how he had been there, you know, when it happened." Neville gulped nervously, staring up at the minister.

A half hour later, Draco was still sitting tightly in his seat, sweating anxiously as the next witness was called.

"We now call Lucius Malfoy to the stand." The minister sneered at the name.

Draco's face suddenly froze, he hadn't seen his father in over a month and had worried countlessly about him.

Lucius approached the stand, guards on either side of him. His eyelids wore rings of dark circles around them and he looked even bonier than he had before Azkaban. Draco writhed in his chair, trying madly to pull himself out.

"Father!" He yelled.

"Draco, stay calm." Lucius whispered, tilting his head in worry.

"Silence!" The minister shouted.

After a brief quietness, the minister tapped the podium before him and a file appeared. He flipped through the pages and began to speak.

"Lucius Malfoy, you are currently serving out your sentence in Azkaban prison for your involvement with the Death Eaters, are you not." He said, his expression radiating superiority.

Lucius fixed his stare at the floor and said quietly, "That is correct."

"And is it true that your son, Draco Malfoy, knew about your involvement and also aided in the concealing of your involvement and actions concerning He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"

"More or less." He said.

"That is a yes or no question." The minister insisted.

"It is true that he knew of it, all of it, however; it was the Dark Lord who was putting him under the pressure of helping us, you see, Draco was forced to do everything he did." He turned his palms up mercifully, choking at the word "forced."

"But it is well known that your son received the Dark Mark willingly, Lucius."

"It was all to protect our family, sir, Draco never wanted to be this way, he's just a normal boy..." Lucius broke into tears and Draco stared at him, his mind flooding with chaos and his chest heaving abnormally with anxiety.

"That will be all Lucius," the minister waved his hand and the guards carefully escorted Lucius from his seat and out of the room.

"Father, I'm sorry," Draco's voice cracked as he strained to follow him out of the court room.

"Mr. Malfoy, you will continue to hold your tongue!" The minister snapped.

After Neville and Lucius came a witness who Draco was very happy to see. Blaise Zabini approached the stand and sat down.

Draco's eyes widened and he got a flicker of hope, because him and Blaise had been friends for a long time and he knew that if anyone was going to say something to help him it would be Blaise.

"Mr. Zabini, welcome to the stand." Another file appeared in front of the minister. "Now, it says here, that you and Mr. Malfoy were schoolmates together, am I wrong?"

"We were friends." Blaise said sharply.

Draco's eyebrows slowly curved into a frown and a sudden pain arose in his chest.

"So you knew that he was a member of the Death Eaters, did you not?"

"Yes, I did, but our family's were close and I didn't want to jeopardize their safety by turning Draco in." He said, eyes shifting to Draco's momentarily.

"Yes, yes, I understand. Now did you ever witness Mr. Malfoy conspiring with or for the Death Eater's operations?"

"Well," he gulped. "He stopped showing up to the Great Hall for dinner and he missed a lot of classes, but I thought he was just being antisocial, you know with his father being in prison..." He spoke quickly and Draco shot an angry look at him.

"And what was he _actually _doing?" The minister pried.

Blaise paused and took a breath. "He would use a vanishing cabinet to communicate and send information to the Death Eaters and that's how they got into the school the night Dumbledore was murdered." His words ran together as he raced through that statement, creating a flood of gasps from the jury.

Draco sunk into his seat, biting the skin on his lower lip. He began to feel nauseous, like all hope was gone. How did Blaise know about the vanishing cabinet? The only person he had told had been Crabbe, when he followed him into the Room of Requirement one day, but he had made him swear to keep it a secret.

"Ah, I see." The minister sat back into his throne, turning his attention to Draco. "So Mr. Malfoy, is that true?"

Draco felt his heart skip a beat. "I... I was chosen by the Dark Lord, by...by Voldemort, I had no choice in the matter." He stumbled to find the right words.

"But you see Mr. Malfoy, that you assisted in the murder of Albus Dumbledore, and unless you can produce a witness who can defend your innocence otherwise, we will have to settle for you being guilty." The file that had been in front of the minister disappeared. Blaise was escorted out of the room, his head hanging down, avoiding eye contact with Draco.

"Is there anyone who you would like to call to defend your innocence, Mr. Malfoy, anyone who could have been there and could give us a different story?" The minister said proudly, knowing that this was a defeat and another victory for the Ministry.

Draco trembled, his face becoming soaked with tears. He had no answer.

"That's what I thought." And at that, the minister stood up from his podium.

"The jury will now come to a decision. All those in favor of Draco Malfoy being sentenced to three years in Azkaban, guilty of all charges against him, raise your right hand."

Suddenly the door to the courtroom opened and Narcissa Malfoy charged into the trial.

"I have a witness!" She yelled.

Draco shot up straight in his seat, but couldn't see who was behind him as the constraints wouldn't allow him to face the back of the courtroom.

"Narcissa, are you mad, you can't just barge into a trial like this." The minister shouted. "Who is this witness? It better be pretty bloody important."

Quick footsteps emerged from behind Draco as he heard a voice which shot shivers across his skin and stopped his heart from beating for a split second.

"It's me."

Harry Potter came forth from behind him, looking over his shoulder at a confused, and frozen Draco who was somehow refraining from blinking.

The minister cleared his throat, "Harry, uhm, Harry Potter." He looked at Narcissa, who was grinning behind her son.

"Yeah, that's me." Harry said, rolling his eyes at yet another acknowledgement of his name.

"Alright." The minister paused, and then sat back down behind the podium. "I call Mr. Harry Potter to the stand."

Harry walked heavily past the jury and to his seat where he sat down, curling his lips sarcastically.

Draco was in shock, unsure what to feel at all. This was not the person he had expected to see here, and especially was not who he expected to stand up for him in a trial.

"Narcissa, you may leave," the minister nodded to her, "please wait in the other room outside."

"Mum?" Draco murmured. She bent down from behind him and kissed the top of his head.

"This will do it darling, I promise." She whispered in his ear and then left, her heels clicking the floor rhythmically.

"Now, Mr. Potter," said the minister, impatient and anticipating what would come of this. "Do you have anything to add to Mr. Malfoy's defense? Anything about his involvement with the murder of Albus Dumbledore, or his involvement with the Death Eaters?"

Harry glanced at Draco with an expression that caused him to wonder if it was anger, annoyance, or pain.

"Well, you know minister, Malfoy and I haven't really been the best of friends," he paused and chuckled, "We haven't ever been friends, but I do know that he is not a bad person."

Draco began to slow his breathing, shifting his eyes to avoid Harry completely.

"I mean, he's kind of a cowardly git, but even at that, he was never a Death Eater by choice."

Shooting a glare at Harry, Draco straightened himself in his chair, relaxing his fists which had been clenched permanently with fear throughout the whole trial.

"And how do you know that?" The minister asked, emphasizing the word "how."

"That night at the astronomy tower, I was there and I was watching Malfoy the whole time."

Draco pinched his eyebrows together in confusion.

"I followed him and stayed unseen while he confronted Dumbledore." He nodded his head at Draco who was giving him a typical Malfoy look of disgust.

"He told him everything. About the vanishing cabinets that got the Death Eaters into the castle, about how Voldemort had ordered him to kill the headmaster, _and_ about how he had to do it to protect his family."

The minister raised his eyebrows. "Well it seems that you have a valid point there Mr. Potter, but not quite enough to get Mr. Malfoy off the hook."

Draco exhaled a staggered breath.

"He was lowering his wand, he wasn't going to kill anyone. Malfoy could never hurt anyone, let alone kill them." Harry jutted in.

"Oh?" The minister piped in, folding his arms at his chest.

"When my friends and I were first taken to the Malfoy's home by snatchers, I had a curse put on me, it made my face all distorted and such," he moved his hand around in front of his face. "Bellatrix Lestrange wasn't sure if it were me or not, she was holding us captive and she couldn't recognize me." He turned his eyes to Draco, who seemed to have remembered this incident and had a solemn expression on his face.

"So what happened?" The minister pried.

"I'm getting there, sir." Harry said sharply. "Bellatrix made Malfoy, uhm _Draco_, identify me. But the thing was, he knew it was me, he knew right away, but he never turned me in. He actually saved my life."

Quiet murmurs rang through the courtroom and the minister cleared his throat, glancing around at the sudden unrest surrounding him.

"So are you trying to say that we should let Mr. Malfoy off the hook because he saved your life?"

"Well...yeah." Harry blurted nonchalantly. "In fact, if it wasn't for him giving me his wand, I would have never been able to defeat Voldemort."

The minister twisted his face in surprise. "You mean to tell me that the wand you used to destroy He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named was the wand of Draco Malfoy?"

"Yeah." Harry nodded ludicrously, unsure why this was so surprising to everyone. Did they really think Draco was such a bad person? "If it weren't for him, I may not have been able to kill Voldemort at all."

Draco suddenly felt a hint of hope. His heart was finally beating normally. The murmurs in the audience became louder and more spread out.

"Well, Mr. Potter, I must say, you present some case changing elements. I do think Mr. Malfoy may have been in deep trouble had you not shown up." He stood up and brushed off the front of his robe. "Now unless you have anything else to add to your statement Mr. Potter, I think the jury may now vote on the verdict." He glanced down at Draco who sat up in his chair and was looking around at everyone. Harry nodded.

"All those in favor of sentencing Draco Malfoy to three years in Azkaban prison, guilty of the charges against him, please raise your right hand."

Draco held his breath, passing his eyes from each and every face in front of him nervously. The hand of an older woman went up. Draco tried to swallow but his mouth was dry. Another hand went up across the room, then another. His eyes began to flutter and he felt sick to his stomach. Another hand.

Draco shut his eyes, his teeth grinding and sweat falling down his forehead.

"Alright." The minister nodded, gesturing everyone to put their hands down who had voted. "Now, all those in favor of relieving Draco Malfoy of all his charges, please raise your right hand."

There was a long pause which seemed to last a lifetime.

"I don't believe it," the minister's words shot Draco's eyes open. His voice was more surprised than ever and looking around, Draco realized why. Over half of the jury had their hands raised. "It seems we have a decision." He rolled his eyes at Harry who was grinning slightly with success. "Mr. Draco Malfoy... you are free of all your charges."

The tension around Draco's wrists and ankles disappeared. His eyes were fluttering and he felt weightless. He stood up slowly from the chair, rubbing his left wrist. Just as everyone was about to leave, the minister held his hand out.

"Now, Mr. Malfoy, you're not getting off that easily." He spoke quietly. "I am placing a heavily trained group of Aurors at your home where they will be keeping a _very_ close eye on you for the next few months."

Draco nodded his head. "Y-yes sir."

"And if you even try anything at all, we will have you back in here for a much harsher trial."

He nodded again and turned on his heels to leave along with the rest of the people in the courtroom. Harry had disappeared, but as the doors opened, Narcissa rushed forward to greet her son.

"Mum, they let me go." Draco beamed, as his mother wrapped her arms tightly around his and buried her head in his shoulder.

"Oh Draco, darling." She sobbed. "I knew I could get you out of there."

"How did you know Potter was going to say those...things?" He hesitated. "How did you know they would listen to him?"

"Darling, it's Harry Potter. The Ministry is in debt to him, anything he says they will agree with." She brushed the back of her hand on her son's cheek.

"Where did you find him?"

"He was rather easy to find actually." She smiled. "He was right here, in the Ministry. Come dear, we should get you home."

As they headed out into an open corridor filled with people from Draco's trial, he saw Harry standing near another hallway.

"Draco, you should go thank him." Narcissa whispered, gesturing to Harry.

"I don't think that's necessary, mum..." He looked away.

"But darling, he saved your life, multiple times! The least you can do is say thank you." She stared expectantly until Draco gave in and strode towards him.

He rolled his eyes and pursed his lips inside his mouth. Harry saw him coming over and stood up straight, looking up at Draco as he stopped in front of him.

Draco glanced away from Harry's face, avoiding eye contact. "My mum, she uh..." he stammered. "Well, thanks. For testifying for me and you know...yeah." He instantly felt stupid for letting words just come out of his mouth.

"Um, you're welcome." Harry said, actually trying to make eye contact.

"So, well, that's about it..." Draco turned quickly and began to walk away, but Harry's voice stopped him in his steps.

"Malfoy, wait."

He turned to face him again, this time making uncomfortable eye contact.

"I still have your wand."

Draco cocked his head slightly and gave Harry a puzzled look.

"I didn't bring it with me because honestly I didn't know why the bloody hell I was coming here, but I could give it to you another time, just let me know where you want me to bring it." He nodded, looking over Draco's shoulder at Narcissa, watching them interact.

"Um, I don't know." Draco shrugged, unsure if his wand was worth all of this fuss.

"How about The Three Broomsticks? How does that work for you?" Harry asked.

"Ok...I guess." Draco said insouciantly.

Harry could sense Draco's attitude, "I mean, if it's so important I could just drop it off at your house." He gestured his hands to the side impatiently.

"No." Draco cut him off quickly. "No, The Three Broomsticks works fine. Well actually, I'm not supposed to leave my house and stuff..."

"I can talk to them, it'll work. Tomorrow then? Good, tomorrow late morning. See you there." He turned around and walked off down the hallway and out of sight.

Draco twisted his face, baffled at that entire conversation. Turning back to face his eager mother, he shook his head and mumbled quietly to himself, "Tomorrow."


	6. What You Deserve

**CH 6 **_What You Deserve_

After the trial had ended, Draco was free to come home. Walking through the entrance and into the hall, it felt different. He had feared his home when it was the Dark Lord's headquarters. He had wished he could stay away from home longer when school was in session. But he had never actually _missed_ home up until this past month.

"Draco, darling, make yourself comfortable." Narcissa insisted, realizing the tense and unsure expression on her son's face. She put her hand on his shoulder, looking up into his dazed eyes. "Why don't you go wash up, get some clean clothes, and by the time you're done, supper will be ready." She cooed. Draco nodded, returning a slight, forced smile to his mother.

Walking up the black marble stairs had never seemed so strenuous, but his muscles were weak, and Draco longed to relax. His bedroom was the same as it had been the last time he was there. Going to the closet, Draco turned on the light. Rows of shirts, mostly white and black, lined the left side, and pants comprised of slacks and jeans lined the right. Walking all the way in, Draco stood staring at the possibilities in front of him. _Why did one person need so much clothing?_ Shrugging his shoulders and exhaling a sigh, he pulled a grey polo off it's hanger and snatched a pair of black pants.

Stripping himself of sweat smelling clothes, he threw them into a silver bin where they disappeared into thin air. At the end of the closet was a full length mirror. Draco stood before it, scanning his naked body, pale and fatigued. He closed his eyes and inhaled a slow, deep breath. He stood there for a few moments, just taking in the silence and calm. A warm hand came up behind him and rested itself on his shoulder. It slowly ran down his bare back and circled itself to his chest, sending chills through Draco's skin. He opened his eyes softly to see Harry Potter behind him. Turning his back to the mirror abruptly, Harry disappeared. Draco was alone.

Feeling rather unsure of himself, he dressed quickly, ran out of the closet and hurried down the stairs to the dining room. Narcissa was seated across from his place which had already been set with silver china.

"Is everything alright, dear?" She said, cocking her head at his sudden entrance.

Draco nodded his head quickly, "Yeah, everything's fine, mum."

He sat down in front of a plate arranged perfectly with roasted duck, steamed cauliflower, and scallions. Draco was starving, so although his stomach was feeling a tad queasy at the moment, he began to eat. Across the table from him, Narcissa watched her son intently, eating her food daintily. Dabbing her napkin to her mouth, she cleared her throat.

"So, dear, tell me about your conversation with the Potter boy."

Draco nearly choked on his vegetables at those words. Wiping his mouth and smoothing his napkin back onto his lap he spoke smoothly.

"We are to meet tomorrow morning, at The Three Broomsticks. He's going to return my wand then."

"But dear, you cannot leave the house."

"He said he would take care of it." Draco shrugged.

"Oh...wonderful." Narcissa smiled, returning to her dinner.

Draco suddenly no longer felt hungry. Rising from his seat, he pushed his chair in as his mother watched him suspiciously. "Could I be excused?"

"Well yes, but you didn't finish your..."

"I'm not hungry." Draco interrupted.

"Oh, yes, then of course."

That night Draco found himself unable to sleep for more than a half hour at a time. Granted, his bed was far more comfortable than the one in the cabin, and was one-hundred percent better than sleeping in the Ministry's holding cells, but tonight he couldn't stop tossing and turning. The interaction he had with Harry after the trial kept playing in Draco's thoughts. He wished he could go back in time and not sound like such a loser. Everything that came out of his mouth made him seem like he had never spoken to people before. He never acted like that around anyone else but Potter, and he wished he knew why.

Turning over onto his side, Draco pulled the silk sheets over his bare shoulders, inhaling the scent of fresh linen. Closing his eyes, the image of Harry caressing him popped into his mind. Draco shook his head violently as if that could physically erase the images. He pulled his hands over his eyes and began to sob into them, his hot tears leaving droplets on his pillow. As his body shook beneath the covers, Draco realized that he couldn't escape.

The next morning Draco awoke to his mother at his door.

"Draco, darling, it's time to get up. Didn't you say you were meeting the Potter boy this morning?"

Picking his head up from his pillow, Draco groaned sleepily. "Yes, mum."

As he rolled out of bed, Draco found himself completely regretting saying yes to this meeting with Potter. He quickly slipped on a black button-down and jeans, yet after looking at himself in the mirror he realized that the outfit wouldn't do. Rummaging through his shirts hanging in the closet, he frantically tried to pick something that would work for the day. Glancing at the clock, a strike of anxiety and nervousness hit his stomach. He finally settled on a polo and a black blazer.

As he stared at himself in the mirror again, Draco swept his hands down the front of his shirt, smoothing out any wrinkles. Taking a deep breath, he looked straight at himself and tried to force a smile onto his face. He tried one with teeth baring, but cringed at it, then another one with high cheeks, but everything he thought made him look like an idiot.

"Hello, Potter." He said sternly into his own reflection, frowning at himself. "Hel_lo _Potter." He tried again, but this time planted his face in his palm at the stupidity of that phrase. Gathering confidence, Draco stood up straight and formed a smile. "Hello, Harry."

Shaking his head in annoyance he stormed out of his bedroom, frustrated at the entire situation he was about to face. As he began walking down the stairs, Draco turned on his heels abruptly and ran into the bathroom. He grabbed his tooth brush and stared at himself while he brushed vigorously. After he spit into the sink and washed his hands, he saw a vial of his father's cologne on the counter. He snatched it up, pulled the cap off and held it to his nose. Nodding his head slightly in approval, he lifted his shirt from his chest and sprayed a hefty amount onto his skin. After much preparation, Draco was finally ready to go.

His mother was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs, but Draco avoided her glance, walking quickly past her to the front door. Narcissa gripped her son's shoulder and pulled him around to face her. She looked at him expectantly, placing her hands on her hips.

"Be safe, dear." She said.

Draco contorted his face in confusion and spoke quickly, "Safe? Safe with what?"

"When you apparate." She raised her eyebrow suspiciously at her son.

Draco's eyes widened in embarrassment, "Oh...yes, thank you."

He turned again to leave but was stopped by his mother clearing her throat emphatically.

"Forgetting something?"

Rolling his eyes, Draco leaned in and gave his mother a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll be back soon, mum, don't worry." He nodded and in a split second, he had disappeared from Malfoy Manor.

Hurdling onto the ground about a block away from The Three Broomsticks, Draco held himself steady on the side of a building as he knocked the dizziness from his head. Standing up slowly he took a deep breath. His stomach felt queasy again, but this time it wasn't from apparating.

Hogsmeade wasn't as packed as he had expected, which meant there would be less people witnessing his exchange with Potter. Draco hoped that this would last only minutes and that he would never have to see Harry Potter again. Nodding his head in confidence, he emerged onto the sidewalk and made his way to the front door of The Three Broomsticks.

He opened the door and embraced the aroma of the pub. It was warm and familiar to him and caused a small smile curl up on Draco's lips. The smile faded quickly however when he looked over to the far left side of the pub and saw Harry sitting with his back facing him. He was resting his head in his palm and was twitching his foot impatiently.

Draco began to walk towards him, but quickly turned around to leave. He stopped and shook his head. _It'll all be over soon, just talk to Potter and you can go_. He squeezed his eyes shut and turned around again. The back of Potter's head had never looked so intimidating.

Once he was standing only a foot away from him, Draco cleared his throat emphatically. Harry turned around abruptly and his brow creased.

"You're late, Malfoy."

Draco looked away, not wanting to engage in eye contact if he could help it. "Yeah, um, sorry."

Harry gestured to the seat across from him and raised his eyebrows. Draco looked from the seat to Potter in confusion.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" Harry's voice was impatient and sharp.

Draco went over and sat down immediately, looking out the window to their right.

"I brought your wand, Malfoy." He jumped right into business. Draco shifted his glance to Harry who was reaching into his coat pocket and pulled out the dark wand. He held it out across the table. Draco extended a shaky hand to take it.

"This wand is the reason why I could kill Voldemort." Harry jutted in.

Draco winced at the name, then accepted the wand and held it in his hands, running his finger across the smooth surface. He tucked it into his pocket and looked up at Harry who was staring at him keenly.

"You know, I look back on our years at Hogwarts and..."

"I should really get going back home." Draco interrupted quietly.

"Do you remember that time we were here at Hogsmeade and I pulled you around in the snow. Merlin, that was priceless." Harry laughed to himself.

"What?" Draco cocked his head and folded his arms irritatedly at his chest. "Potter, I really should leave."

"I guess you wouldn't remember _seeing_ me there, but it was bloody hilarious seeing you like that." He beamed widely and nodded his head at the memory.

Draco suddenly stood up from the table, knocking a salt shaker onto the floor. "What do you want from me?" He yelled.

Everyone in the pub turned to stare at him. His chest was heaving and his nostrils flared angrily as he finally fixed his eyes on Harry's. For a moment, they stared at each other, but then Harry broke the silence and spoke calmly.

"Perhaps a 'thank you'?"

The anger melted away and Draco's eyelids became heavy, holding back tears. He suddenly felt very, very stupid.

He began to ease back into his seat when a witch from across the pub stood up and charged towards him.

"That's Lucius Malfoy's son!" She hissed. Everyone turned their heads once again to Draco who's eyes grew wide with fear. "You should have the same fate as your father, if not worse. You're a Death Eater." She pulled her wand out of her robes and Draco backed into the wall, fumbling for his own wand. Suddenly, Harry stood up and turned around to face the witch. He had his own wand raised to her.

The witch flinched in shock and stepped back. "Oh, Mr. Potter, I'm so sorry to bother you." She backed down, shoving her wand away and nodding at him.

Harry put his wand away too and watched her retreat back to her table. When he turned around his eyes fell onto Draco who was frozen in place. There were tear tracks on his face where he had wiped them away when Harry had his back turned.

Harry sat down into his seat and Draco followed. After a brief moment had passed, Draco's lips curled upwards. "You need to stop saving me, Potter."

Harry laughed sarcastically, "You need to stop getting in trouble."

"Really, I can take care of myself."

"Sure," Harry chuckled, nodding his head, "'cause you're doing such a great job of it already."

The smile on Draco's face faded and he swallowed. He raised his gaze to the other boy's across the table.

"Thank you."

The words came out with a staggered breath. Harry's expression changed to slight surprise and he grinned back at Draco. They sat in silence once again. Draco wondering what Harry was thinking at that moment. If he thought he was a "cowardly git" again or if he saw something else through Draco's glistening eyes. Draco pulled himself away, gesturing to a waitress.

"I'm thirsty, do you want something to drink?" He said quickly.

Harry's brow creased. "You're going to buy for me?" he asked in confusion.

"Well um...uh...no Potter, you can buy for yourself." He shook his head and got the attention of the waitress. "I'd like a tea."

"Make that two." Harry added in and when the waitress left, Draco rolled his eyes at him.

"You know, you can be rather annoying." Draco said.

"Why because I ordered tea?" Harry snickered.

"Yes, actually." Draco nodded, a smile forming on his lips.

"And all the times you shot your mouth at me in school, making fun of my friends, you don't think that was annoying?"

Draco hesitated. "The lot of you deserved it." He raised his chin up, snobbishly.

"I doubt that!" Harry sneered, "We didn't deserve it any more than you and your posse! Talk about annoying."

Draco's eyes went to the ground and the image of that night in the Room of Requirement came back to him. Harry knew that he had said something wrong.

"I'm sorry, I forgot about..."

"It's fine." Draco hissed.

The waitress came over with the teas and set them down on the table.

"Thanks." Harry acknowledged her with a nod and lifted his tea to his mouth.

They sat sipping at their tea for a minute, neither of them glancing at each other. Finally, after a long awkward silence, Harry set his cup down and leaned back in his seat. Draco lifted his gaze at Harry's sudden change in position.

"You know I thought you had to be getting back home, but instead you get tea." Harry questioned, folding his arms at his chest.

Draco sipped from his cup. "Honestly, home isn't the best place right now." Right after he had spoken he wondered why he was sharing these things with Potter.

Harry nodded his head slowly, glancing out the window. "I know that feeling."

Draco let out a sarcastic laugh.

"What? You think I don't?" Harry turned to him, his voice suddenly becoming angry and low. "You think because your father's in prison for things that he _actually_ deserved, you know what it's like?"

Draco pulled himself away, setting his cup shakily onto the table. "I didn't mean to..." He was cut off by Harry's sudden outrage.

"My parents didn't deserve it!" Harry shouted in a furious but hushed voice, trying to avoid drawing more attention to them. "Neither did Sirius, or Remus, or Cedric, or any of those people who died because of Voldemort!"

"I never said they did, Potter, but if you would please excuse me, I need to go home." Draco stood up, and hurried his way out of the pub.

He slammed the door behind him, and staggered back into the alleyway where he had apparated to earlier. A flood of anger came over him and he balled his hand into a fist and collided it into the brick wall. Tears ran down his face uncontrollably as Draco cradled his throbbing hand. He leaned his back onto the wall, supporting his shuddering body. Suddenly he heard footsteps nearby and Harry appeared, out of breath and with a flustered expression on his face. He looked down at the blood streaming from Draco's knuckles.

"What did you do to your hand?" Harry asked, his voice cracking. He stepped closer to Draco, but he shifted away from him. "I'm sorry, I...I didn't mean to yell at you like that."

"You didn't?" Draco sneered. "Since when do you ever apologize for yelling at me? I mean, everyone knows I deserve it, so why apologize to me?" He dragged his uninjured hand across his face to wipe the tears away.

"I just always forget that you didn't have a choice, that you aren't really a part of them..." Harry spoke quietly.

Lifting himself from the wall, Draco glared at Harry. Suddenly, he pulled the sleeve of his shirt up and held his arm out in front of him. "Try walking around with this in your skin! Try having to explain that you're not a bloody Death Eater to the ministry, or having to hide yourself out so that you don't get killed wherever you go. Try being hated by _everyone _and being the target of everyone's jokes and..." He was fuming, but Harry just stood there calmly and watched him.

"Why are you staring at me?" Draco demanded, lunging forward at Harry who didn't move.

Harry looked down and raised his eyebrows. "Because as much as I hate to admit it," he paused, "I know how you feel."

His eyes met with Draco's again. "I have a scar too, and it's the only thing people ever identify me with. The past seven years I've had to escape death over and over, and I've had to hide. People have died because of me. They've sacrificed their lives because of _me_."

Draco was breathing heavily, his body had gone limp and he could barely speak. "But you don't have to be the bad guy. Everyone loves you, everyone wants to be like you, everyone hates me..."

Suddenly out of nowhere, Draco was pushed against the wall and Harry Potter's mouth was on his. Determined hands were grasping his face and Draco's heart had stopped beating. He couldn't tell if he should push Potter off or snog the living daylights out of him. Luckily, he was too late in reacting because Harry had let up and stepped back a few inches.

They stood there in silence, eyes wide and staring. Draco couldn't feel his knees.

"Wha...what was that?" Draco managed to get out in a weak, shaking voice.

Harry caught his breath and a smile slowly formed onto his face. "Don't worry," he said, "it was just a kiss."

_Thank you everyone for reading :3 Let me know what you think of the story and if it should really end here or not._


	7. Conflict

**CH 7: Conflict**

Draco could barely fathom what was going on. Harry Potter had just _kissed_ him. He had no idea where it had come from and he definitely didn't like it...well maybe he had just a little bit.

He swallowed nervously, his brow beginning to furrow. Draco couldn't think of the right thing to say. This was all wrong.

"Why did you do that?" He snapped quietly.

Harry was acting strangely calm. He shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno...I guess I just wanted to kiss you."

Draco glared angrily and suddenly felt very uncomfortable. "You just wanted to kiss me?" He mocked. An array of thoughts were beginning to flood his conscience and he gestured with his arms towards the opening of the alleyway. "What if someone had seen?"

Harry didn't seem to be bothered by this shocking realization. "No one did see," he inched a little closer. "Don't worry about it."

Jumping away quickly at the movement, Draco stepped backwards out of the alcove and onto the sidewalk. He was becoming frantic. "Why are you talking like this to me? You hate me, I hate you, remember? Why can't we just leave it at that?"

Harry's eyebrows creased and he shook his head slightly. "I never hated you, Draco."

"Don't call me that!"

"But...that's your name..." Harry gave him a disapproving look.

"But you never call me that, it's just not something that we do." He hissed.

"Well we don't usually kiss either and that just happened a couple minutes ago."

Draco shot him a disgusted glare. "_We_ didn't kiss. You kissed _me_."

Harry looked off to the side and folded his arms at his chest. A grin gradually formed at his lips.

"So if I did it again, you wouldn't mind?"

"Are you mental?" Draco was yelling now, his skin was hot and he could feel the vexation burning his eyes as tears welled up in them. "Leave me alone!"

With that, Harry reached a hand out to him, but Draco had already disappeared.

This time after apparating, he didn't feel nauseous, so much as dizzy and lightheaded. He was also certain that it wasn't just the apparating that had him feeling this way.

He was outside the manor and quickly checked behind him to make sure the Gryffindor hadn't followed. When it seemed like the coast was clear, he swung the front door open and stormed inside. Narcissa quickly entered the room, her heels clicking the marble floor. With just one look at her son's distraught expression she hurried over to him, resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Darling, is everything alright?"

Draco nodded, shrugging her hand off.

"Did he return your wand?" Her voice was soothing, but not what he wanted right now.

He nodded again, this time taking a step towards the stairs.

"Did something happen?" A spark of concern was layered in her voice.

Draco's upper lip twitched. "No." He proceeded up the stairs. "I just want to be alone."

He slammed the door behind him, then stood in the middle of his room, unmoving. Everything was silent except for the sound of the warm breath fuming from his nostrils. Although he was standing still, everything was spinning around him.

His blood was boiling and Draco couldn't even begin to grasp what was happening. All of those dreams, those nightmares, where Potter had made an appearance, they were racing through his head. Images of him saving his life, his dead body looking up at him, and not to mention the _other_ images he could recall...

He clenched his teeth and forced back another bout of tears. See, the worst part wasn't the dreams flashing through his mind. Not at all. The worst part was that he could still feel the boy's kiss on his lips.

At that thought, rage filled him and he suddenly couldn't control his actions. He began flinging items off his desk; tossing quill boxes, parchment and books across his room.

_He kissed me. _

He threw an ink container against his wall and it smashed, leaving a blotch of black liquid dripping down the paneling.

Yelling incoherently, Draco lifted a nightstand from the side of his bed and hurled it onto the floor, watching it break into many splintered pieces.

_ He bloody kissed me._

He grabbed an oil lamp from a shelf and chucked it next to the nightstand. It too shattered and oil erupted onto the floor.

"Why are you doing this to me?" He screamed, ripping at his own hair and falling to his knees.

Tears ran down his face and this time he didn't try to stop them. He curled into a ball, holding his knees and rocking back and forth. Ragged breaths escaped his parched lips as he let out a few sobbing moans.

Suddenly a loud rapping was at the door and Draco stood up abruptly, staggering to his feet and wiping his face with his sleeve.

"Darling, what is all that noise? Are you alright?"

Fumbling for his wand, he flicked it quickly and the mess in his room changed back to normal within a few seconds. He reached for the door knob and swung it open.

"Draco, what's going on?" Narcissa was looking around the room, trying to see what had caused all the ruckus.

"I'm fine, mum, nothing's wrong." He tried to sound assuring even though his voice was frail and shaky.

Still glancing around the room, Narcissa nodded her head. "Well alright, as long as you're okay."

She lowered her head and looked into his eyes, placing her hands on his shoulders again. Draco forced a slight smile in order to get her to leave. She smiled back and let her hands drop to her sides. "I'm so glad you're back, darling."

"Yes...me too."

As she turned and walked away, Draco closed his door and leaned his back against it. He shut his eyes and inhaled a deep breath. All he could see when he closed his eyes was Harry Potter. There was nothing he wanted more than to just forget about him. They had too much of a history together. A bad history. And Draco couldn't help it if he had feelings for him when they were a little younger, but the events since then had brought many difficulties to their 'relationship'.

Draco couldn't forget that time last year in the lavatory when Potter hexed him. How each cut had stung ripping through his flesh and how his blood pooled onto the floor beneath him. He had almost died that night because of him. However as he thought about it, he remembered much more recent events. He had almost died in the Room of Requirement, but Potter had rescued him. He risked his life for him and...

"Stop thinking about him!" Draco whispered to himself, opening his eyes.

Suddenly his mother's voice was back on the other side of the door.

"Draco?"

He swung around, annoyed, and opened the door again. Narcissa had a very confused expression on her face.

"What is it?" He asked with a slightly snide tone.

"Well," she pinched her brow and gave her son a questioning look. "There's um...someone here to see you..."

Draco's body stiffened.

"It's Harry P-"

"Tell him to go away." Draco interjected. He clenched his jaw.

"It's Harry Potter, dear, I can't really tell him to go away..."

"Yes you can, this is your house, just tell him to go."

"He said he just wanted to talk to you. Did something bad happen at Hogsmeade?" She put her hands at her hips.

Draco scowled at her. Why was this happening? Why couldn't he escape Potter?

"I just don't want to talk to him. Or see him. Or have anything to do with him." His voice was rising as was his temper.

Narcissa reached out a hand and grasped him by the wrist, pulling him forward. "He's just downstairs, go talk to him. I don't see what the big problem is." Her voice was a whisper now.

Draco didn't want to argue with his mother, in fact he seldom did. But this was dreadful.

Making an awful face, he pointed a finger at the stairwell. "He's downstairs?" It was no doubt now that Potter had heard them. Narcissa nodded.

"Just go!" She ushered him forward, pushing him to the top of the stairs. He glared at her, frowning and rolling his eyes. "And don't be rude." She added in. Draco wasn't sure if that was aimed to her or to Potter.

He made his way down the stairs, treading slowly and heavily on each step. His heart was racing, sweat was beginning to form on the back of his neck and palms, and there were butterflies in his stomach. Once he got to the bottom, everything stopped. He saw Potter in the entrance hall across from the stairs and immediately he wanted to turn around. Unfortunately, the boy was looking straight at him and he couldn't turn back now.

Draco strode forward, not making eye contact even though he was getting closer. He got to where him and Potter were standing less than a foot away from each other, he could lean forward and kiss him if he wanted to. But he didn't want to. He hated that idea.

"Draco-"

"Shut up and go outside." He opened the front door and it made a _whoosh_ sound that seemed to startle the other boy. Draco continued to look away.

"I just wanted to talk." He spoke with a childlike voice, weak and beaten down.

"You _can_ talk to me, just outside." Draco's voice was cold and tense as he gestured for Potter to walk out. He followed behind him and closed the door.

Draco continued to look away, trying to avoid meeting those piercing green eyes with his own. After several awkward moments of silence, he finally spoke.

"Why are you here, Potter?"

Harry took a breath and folded his arms at his chest. "You left rather abruptly, I wanted to make sure you were alright."

Draco glowered at him, taking a step back towards to the door. "If we're going to talk about this again, I want you to leave." He continued to stare at the ground.

"How is that fair?" Harry said in a whiny tone.

"It's fair because you're at my house and I don't want to talk about it."

"Yeah, you git, I came to your house so that I could apologize, but if you're just going to be an arse..."

"You came here to apologize to me." Draco repeated sarcastically. "What for, kissing me?"

"No," he grinned, shrugging and tipping his head slightly. "I'm not apologizing for that."

That time Draco brought his eyes up quickly, glaring into Harry's and squinting angrily.

"I'm apologizing for upsetting you."

Draco threw his arms up in the air. He couldn't take any more of this. "Potter, we don't apologize for upsetting each other, why can't you just let it be?"

"Why are you being so rude?" His voice rose. "You weren't acting like this earlier, I thought you had changed..."

"Sorry to disappoint." Draco rolled his eyes insouciantly.

"And you know what? You have changed. You saved my _life_. You're different now."

Draco was fighting not to look at him. "Stop pretending that you know me!"

"Stop pretending that you didn't enjoy it!" Harry shouted, his voice sounding desperate.

_The kiss._ Draco knew he was talking about the kiss. He clenched his teeth and tried to keep himself from exploding. "I didn't enjoy it, Potter." He spat.

"Stop lying, I know you're lying. You were going to kiss back."

Draco's cheeks reddened and he balled his fists, feeling the tightness on his knuckles. "No, I-"

"You don't hate me and I know it." Harry interrupted, taking a wide step closer, glaring up into Draco's face, trying to catch his eyes.

This new closeness was alarming and Draco could feel his chest rising and falling more rapidly. He wanted to run away, back inside, back into his room, lock the door and never see Potter again, but for some reason he was stuck in place. He couldn't move and it wasn't due to a spell; it was something else.

Then it hit him.

"You..." Draco gasped, finally meeting his eyes with Potter's green ones. "You're the one who's been making me have those dreams!"

Harry shook his head violently and made a face. "What?"

"Oh stop acting like you don't know." Draco cringed. "You have some sort of spell on me!"

"What are you talking about?"

"You...you've cursed me, and now I'm having these...dreams." He was worried now. Potter looked genuinely confused. He shook his head. _It's just an act. _"You thought you could convince me that I liked you, that's what this is about. Well you haven't!" He snarled, leaning forward and shoving the shorter boy, causing him to stagger backwards.

"Are you mental?" Harry shouted. "I haven't put any spell or curse on you!"

"Yes you have...I know you have..." His voice trailed off weakly.

"Draco, I haven't done anything." He stepped gingerly forward, not breaking eye contact.

"Stop lying!"

"I am not lying to you!" Harry cried.

Draco felt as if the wind had been knocked out of him. _He's telling the truth. _His legs became wobbly and sweat was beading up in his palms again. What had he just done?

Harry took another step. His expression had softened, but that only made it worse.

"But...but this isn't natural. It _can't_ be." Draco whispered under his breath to himself.

"You're having dreams about me?" Harry ducked his head shyly, raising an eyebrow.

"Shut up! Forget about it." Draco bellowed hoarsely. His lips were quivering. "Please just forget about it." He was the one sounding desperate now.

"It's alright." Harry brought his hand to Draco's face but he slapped it away. "Hey, I'm just trying to help."

Tears welled into Draco's eyes. He let out a staggered breath. "If you want to help, just leave."

"Is that really what you want?"

"What does it matter. I don't want to have these feelings. I don't want today to have happened. I don't want the last month to have happened even. I hate you and I want it to stay that way." His face was contorting with despair as tears began to roll from his eyes.

"You don't hate me." Harry's voice was tender and quiet. His eyes met with Draco's which were glistening wet.

Draco couldn't bring himself to speak. He opened his mouth, but words couldn't come out. He did hate Potter. He _had_ to hate Potter. Yet when he looked into the boy's dark green eyes, he knew that he didn't.

Breaking eye contact, he turned away and began to hurry towards the door but was stopped short when he felt a hand grip his shoulder. Harry pulled him around so they were facing each other again. He didn't remove his grip even when their eyes matched. Draco was hitching his breath, his heart throbbing in his chest.

The next few moments took him by surprise. It was as though he couldn't control his actions. He leaned forward, roughly lifted a hand to the back of the boy's head and tugged at his hair, craning his neck upwards. Within the same instant Draco pressed their lips together. Harry let out a little moan. Draco's heart was racing, his eyes shut and he wrapped his free arm around the boy's waist, pulling him closer. Harry brought his hand up to Draco's jaw.

Harry's lips were soft and gentle, and when they parted, letting Draco's fit perfectly in between, a shock ran up the Slytherin's back. Whatever had been going on before this didn't matter. Nothing mattered except for the fact that he was holding Harry, no..._kissing_ Harry, and it felt amazing.

Draco pulled away briefly. He inhaled a quick breath. Harry leaned forward and smashed their mouths together again, this time more passionately. With rough, fervent movements they caressed each other, exploring every inch of the other's lips. Draco intertwined his fingers through the hair on the back of Harry's head, letting a primal moan escape his lips when the Gryffindor pressed his body tighter against his.

His tongue slipped through the crease between their lips and Harry tightened his grip on Draco's jaw, running his thumb against his skin. Everything in Draco's head was spinning. His body was numb and his eyes were fluttering and Harry's tongue was running lustfully across his own. Draco knew they would have to part at some point but he didn't want to be the one to do it. Luckily, Harry was the one who pulled away.

Their lips clung to one other as they slowly released their kiss. Harry slid his hand loosely from Draco's face back to his own side and Draco took a step back.

They stood for a moment, just looking at each other in silence, catching their breaths.

Gradually a smile formed on Harry's lips. "So...do you still hate me?"

Draco rolled his eyes, blushing. "Yes, terribly." He looked to the ground, trying to hide a grin.

Harry cleared his throat. "So, I guess I should get going."

"Yeah...my mum, she's probably waiting for me inside..." He was still coming out of the glow of having Harry's lips on his.

"Do I get to know about those dreams you've been having about me before I go?" Harry said, looking up playfully.

Draco shot him a look, remembering how vivid those dreams actually were.

"I'll take that as a maybe." The Gryffindor beamed.

Draco wanted to pretend to hate him some more; that's what was familiar, that's what he was used to, but this was _so_ much better.

"When do I get to see you again?" Harry asked.

"I don't know...whenever, I suppose."

"Okay, so tomorrow?"

Draco couldn't tell if he was joking or not. Part of him wanted to see Potter every day and the other part of him wasn't sure if any of this was a good idea at all. He exhaled heavily, shaking is head.

"I don't kn-"

"Please?" Harry lowered his head, making a pouting face.

Draco rolled his eyes once again. "Fine." He hissed. "But don't come here. Meet me at Hogsmeade again."

Harry continued to smile. "For lunch."

Draco scowled. "Not for a date, Potter."

Harry leaned in and planted a quick peck on the Slytherin's cheek. "Whatever you say."

And like that, he was gone.

Draco was alone now. He stared at the spot where the other boy had been standing a moment ago and his heart sunk a little. As he turned to go back inside, he smiled slightly, whispering so quietly he could barely hear it himself. "See you then, Harry."

Thanks for reading, loves! Don't forget to review :)


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